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WILDOMAR: Water tanker remains, water officials to meet

A water tanker from Eastern Municipal Water District is shown here after it was delivered in December to a Wildomar neighborhood. The neighborhood recieves water service from a private company, but service has been interrupted. A meeting to solve the issue is set for Thursday, Jan. 10,

A struggling private water company is scheduled to meet this week with two neighboring agencies to begin plans on how to provide more than 100 households with clean drinking water and reliable service.

Wayne Rosenbaum, an attorney representing County Water Company of Riverside, said he is scheduled to meet with representatives from Eastern Municipal Water District, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District and Riverside County on Thursday, Jan. 10, to discuss ongoing problems with County Water Company service.

Since Christmas Eve, residents served by County Water have reported their faucets are dry, or the water pressure was so low hardly a trickle came out. Residents are already accustomed to purchasing drinking water due to excessive nitrates. Recent tests show water provided by the utility has twice Californiaâs maximum contamination level of nitrates, which can cause respiratory issues.

On New Yearâs Eve, in response to complaints from residents, Eastern Municipal delivered an emergency water tanker to the area, carrying 3,500 gallons of water. The tanker remains onsite.

Kevin Pearson, spokesman for the district, said so far residents have consumed roughly 1,500 gallons at an average rate of between 150 to 200 gallons per day.

âAt this point, our tanker is still there and will be there for a little while longer,â Pearson said in an email response to questions. âWe really donât have a âdeadlineâ to take it back.â

Discussions between County Water and other regulatory agencies have been ongoing since at least 2003. However, their plight began drawing more attention in 2012 when residents, desperate about the situation, complained to Wildomar officials. City leaders went door-to-door distributing information about the dangers of consuming the water, and also called on county leaders to address the situation.

Since, an independent research group has taken on the fight on behalf of the residents, launching a campaign to inform residents of the latest happenings.

The two water districts also have gotten involved and in December, at the request of the California Department of Public Health, began drafting various options for shutting down the private utilityâs well and connecting residents to either of the two districtsâ systems.

â(I) hope we can come out with a plan (to move) forward,â Rosenbaum said.

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